Cold Weather Payments are issued between November and March each winter, each worth £25. The extra cash is designed to help cover the extra costs associated with cold weather – like the need to put on your heating
Temperatures across the UK are set to drop soon – and they could drop low enough for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to pay out their Cold Weather Payments.
Cold Weather Payments are issued between November and March each winter, each worth £25. The extra cash is designed to help cover the extra costs associated with cold weather – like the need to put on your heating. However, the money is only paid when temperatures drop below a certain level for seven consecutive days. The level temperatures need to drop to is zero degrees Celsius.
Under the rules, you can get multiple payments. This means if the weather stays cold for long enough, you could potentially get a £50 or even a £75 payment. The payments are automatically made to people claiming one of several DWP benefits, including Pension Credit, Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, or Universal Credit. However, it’s not as simple as just claiming.
With Pension Credit, you will be eligible for the payment as long as you don’t live in a care home. For Income Support and income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), you’ll only qualify if you have a disability or pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, get Child Tax Credits that include a disability or severe disability element, or you have a child under five living with you.
For income-related employment and support allowance, you’ll be eligible if you have a severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, a child who is disabled, get Child Tax Credits that include a disability or severe disability element, or you have a child under five living with you. For those claiming Universal Credit, you can get the payment if you have a health condition or disability and have a “limited capability for work”, or you have a child under five living with you.
Finally, with support for mortgage interest (SMI), you’ll be eligible if you get it but also have a severe or enhanced disability premium, a pensioner premium, or a child who is disabled. You can also be eligible if you get Child Tax Credits that include a disability or severe disability element, or if you have a child under five living with you.
The UK is set to get a frosty spell in the latter half of this month, so households could be in for a £25 payment after Christmas. You can use the government’s website’s checker tools to determine if the weather in your area means you are in line for a payment.
